The Voice in the Flesh
by friendlyneighborhoodcanarystan
Summary: Lissa was right about everything. Another Cinderella Story AU


Nick's latest Instagram selfie was of him in a black wife beater, his wonderful muscles on full display. He had a smirk on his attractive face as he playfully held Tyke in a headlock. Monique couldn't believe what she was seeing right now. It wasn't the incredibly cute selfie of Nick and Tyke that had her gaping, however but the caption under the picture.

 _Sometimes this guy is a real handful. He knocked over a girl today. She was really cute, though and I quite liked her so maybe Tyke knocking her over wasn't too much of a curse lol._

Monique felt like her entire body was overheating. First, Nick calls her 'pretty lady' and now _this_! Oh god! L-Liked _her_? Shy, awkward _her_? S-She needed to get ahold of herself! This wasn't as big a deal as she was making it to be. Nick may have been back home but she was sure he still had a busy schedule. Crossing paths with him again was unlikely. Besides, it was obvious that he had forgotten all about her, sad as it made her. Monique tried smiling as positively as she could. It was fine, though! She was a pretty forgettable, boring person so of course he wouldn't remember her.

Monique frowned. Lissa on the other hand… Nick was sure to remember her. After all, not only was her stepsister gorgeous but she was Nick's ex. They had dated for a year, Monique doing her best to pretend like she wasn't saddened by it at the time.

"Nick won't know what hit him when he sees _me_ again," Lissa had said with a smug smirk, flipping her red locks. "We'll be back together in no time flat."

"Monique, draw my bath!"

Monique jerked, nearly dropping her phone. She sighed, moving to go follow the order Lissa had just given her.

"Monique, where's my breakfast!?"

The girl grimaced at the sound of her stepmother's voice, dipping her hand in the bath water to make sure it was warm like Lissa liked it. "It'll be ready in a little while, Fiona!"

"Well, hurry the hell up!" Fiona screeched from downstairs. "I'm starving!"

The curly haired girl rolled her eyes, rising up from her knees before heading downstairs to the kitchen to start preparing breakfast.

"And how are you this morning, Nick?"

Monique perked up, setting the frying pan down on the stove before whirling around, a smile slowly forming on her lips as she stared at the flat screen TV. Nick was on the screen, sitting cross legged in a red chair next to a blonde interviewer, a polite smile on his face.

"I'm well, thank you," Nick replied courteously. "It feels really good to be back home."

Looking at him made her heart flutter.

"Monique!" Fiona snapped.

Monique winced, looking over at the glaring woman sitting at the kitchen table.

"Stop looking at that damn TV and make me my breakfast!"

"Yes, Fiona." Monique heard the woman whisper "Stupid girl" under her breath as she moved toward the refrigerator to retrieve the eggs.

"Isn't it cute how Monique _actually_ thinks she has a chance with Nick, mother?" Lissa giggled, the smile on her glossy lips taunting and cruel. "And by cute, I mean absolutely _pathetic_." Lissa looked over her shoulder, smirking when her eyes met Monique's. Lissa was positively delighted by the hurt in Monique's eyes. "Honey, Nick isn't interested in your…" She trailed off looking Monique up and down with a slightly curled nose. "…type. And by type, I mean _black girls_."

Monique's bottom lip trembled, tears building in her eyes. She quickly turned around, hands balling into fists at the sound of Lissa's laughter.

"I mean, even if he _were_ interested in black girls, I'm sure he'd prefer them pretty and light," Lissa continued. "You should totally invest in skin lightening creams, Mo."

It was hard to ignore her. Her words cut like the sharpest of knives. She'd always been insecure about her dark skin, her innermost voice always telling her that she'd be prettier if she were lighter. Hearing Lissa say her innermost voice's words right back at her hurt more than anything.

"Wow, and that hair!" Lissa cringed. "Sweetie, it's a hot _mess_! Put a damn flat iron on it. You'll be doing us all a huge favor."

She couldn't keep the tears at bay any longer, moisture hitting the back of her hand as she worked at the eggs with her spatula. She didn't bother wiping them away.

Monique's sniffling made Lissa giggle, the cruel girl smiling as she turned back around to continue watching Nick's interview. God, did he look delicious! Ugh, the sex with him had been fuckin _amazing_. Lissa smirked. She'd have him in bed with her by the end of today.

Monique grabbed her purse before swiping up the car keys on her bed stand, stopping to stare at a framed picture she always kissed every night before she went to sleep. A smiling man was in the picture, a grinning little girl sitting on one of his shoulders. Monique swallowed the lump in her throat. "I miss you so much, dad."

"Hurry up, Monique!" Lissa called.

Monique sighed, turning away from the picture.


End file.
